Connecticut names operator for Springfield-New Haven rail service

[Gramp]

Moving into Springfield like a tornado.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=connecticut+river+tornado+video&view=detail&mid=A84AE313D0F7E1F30DD6A84AE313D0F7E1F30DD6&FORM=VIRE

Looks like they did a nice job remodeling the Union Station.  Remember watching Penn Central mail train from the platform there in 1972.  What a derelict place it was.  Wonder if Mass. will ever extend commuter service out from Boston through Worcester?

[RME]

NKP guy

Presumably Amtrak will use those same tracks to serve Hartford and Springfield. How about Meriden?

Note last line in quoted article, where Molloy says 'this will just about double service' to Hartford and Springfield'.  This would be predicated on the 13 trips to Hartford with 9 continuing to Springfield that was mentioned, presumably with shorter or smaller consists on the CT-whatever-it's-italicized service trains.

Meriden is getting a new station with high-level platforms to be ready with the introduction of the new service in 2018.  Apparently this will not have any agents or even bathroom facilities, but will have at least one bridge over the line at that point.  I don't know if every new train will stop there, but clearly every one could.  I have seen no indication that Amtrak intends to stop serving Meriden, although I don't know if they would use the new station or keep going to the old one.

Will New Haven become a Jamaica ("All Change!") for CT Rail passengers?

Looks that way unless and until at least some of the trains run through beyond New Haven, most likely either to the 'border' with New York State or, perhaps with some kind of power-equalization rights, further west.  Be interesting to see if traffic to 'suburban' points east of New Haven develops to the point it's cost-effective to run these dedicated trains there -- I'd think a case might even be made to run at least a couple of them 'extended' as far as New London, eventually.

[schlimm]

Perhaps a spur could be built into Bradley International Airport from the Windsor Locks Station, or at least shuttle buses.  Very close and could attract many air travelers who currently use a car, limo, taxi or bus.

[richg1998]

I see those old trains almost daily at the stop near the former Union Station in Northampton, heading North to Vermont and South to New Haven.

Rich

[NKP guy]

Presumably Amtrak will use those same tracks to serve Hartford and Springfield.  How about Meriden?  

Will New Haven become a Jamaica ("All Change!") for CT Rail passengers?

Even had Amtrak won the new contract, where would they have gotten all the cars necessary to fully expand the service?  And they'd be using 40 year old equipment at that.

 

 

 

 

 

[richg1998]

http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2017/07/connecticut_names_operator_for_springfie.html#incart_river_home

Looks like competition with Amtrak.

Rich